Trimming-weight for steamboats and the like.



1104-8411105.` PATENTED P513. 19, 1907.

G. G; ROUILLARD.

TRIMMING WEIGHT FOR STEAMBOATS AND THE LIKE.

v APPLICATION FILED PEB. 17, 1906.

fijl Winesses.

UNITED STATES PATENT orrrcn.

TRIIVINIING-WEIGHT FOR STEANIBOATS AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 19, 1907.

Application liled February 1'?, 1906. Serial No. 301,648.

T0 all/Z whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES CALIXTE ROUILLARD, a subject of the King ofGreat Britain, residing at 95 St. Elizabeth street, in the city ofMontreal, in the district of Montreal, in the Province of Quebec, in theDominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inTrimming- Weights for Steamboats and the Like, of which the following isaspeciiication.

This invention relates to improvements in trimmingweights for steamboatsand the like, as described in the present specification and illustratedby the accompanying draw ings, that form part of the same.

This invention consists, essentially, in a balancing-weight traveling ona uideway suit ably supported from side to side of the vessel and meansfor controlling the movements and position of the said weight.

The objects of the invention are to provide a means of keeping thevessel constantly trim no matter 'how frequently she may list to oneside or to theother and do away with the necessity ofremovin variouspieces of ballast or weights from si e to side.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a cross-sectional view of asteamboat having my trimming device suspended under the main deck.- Fio.2 is an enlarged end view of the parts in detail. Fig. 3 is a detail ofa flexible thimble secured to the weight.

Like letters of reference indicate correspending partsin each figure.

a is the hull of the boat, and b the deck thereacross, supported bysuitable beams@ and d.

e are han ers preferably secured to the beams c an arranged across theboat in pairs opposite one to the other.

fare tracks supported in the hangers e and securely attached thereto andterminating at each end adjacent to the sides of the boat.

g is a weight, preferably and here shown as of solid construction,though it maybe a casing filled with small weights. The weight hasprojecting from each side thereof the lugs h, from which project thepins c', on which the trolleys j are journaled. The trolleys j arepreferably four in number and are journaled from the four'lucs h Vandtravel on the tracks f from side to side of the vessel.

k are. lugs projecting upwardly, preferably from the center to theweight g, and having the bearings Zformed therein.

m is a cage having the fixed spindles n extending from the sides thereofand j ournaled in the bearings Z and the orifices 0, situated at rightangles to the spindles n.

p is a thimble internally threaded and havin pins projecting outwardlyfrom opposite sides thereof and iixedly secured thereto. The saidthimble p is secured in the cage m, the pins q projecting through theorifices o.

r is a shaft supported in suitable bearings s, arranged in proximity toeach side of the boat above the track The said shaft is threadedcorresponding with the thimble p, through which it extends. It will bethus seen that any movement of rotation of the shaft will affect theposition of the thimble thereon, and consequently affect the position ofthe balancing-weight g.

t is a motor, herein shown as a steamen gine of -the reciprocating type,though it must be understood that while for convenience the descriptionherein is confined to a reciprocating engine, as stated, any suitableform of motor may be applied.

u and c are the connecting-rods to the cranks w and from thepiston-rods, as customary. Said cranks are secured to the shaft r, thusestablishing the connection between the steam-engine and the shaft.

The reversal of direction in the rotation of the shaft r is accomplishedby the well-known link-motion reversing-gear, and in the drawings y andz are the eccentrics, and 2 and 3 the rods connecting said eccentricsto-the link 4. The link 4 is connected to thel valve-stem 5, as usual.

6 is a plumb-rod pivoted at its upper end in the bracket 7 and remainingstationary, or substantially so, at each movement of the vessel.

8 is an arm extending at right angles to the plumb-rod 6 and rigidlyconnected therewith in any suitable manner, either asforming parttherewith or connected thereto at the rear of the position of the saidlink, and in consequence control the admission of steam to the engineand operate the shaft r in one direction or the other.

yHaving'described the various parts in detail, I shall now moreparticularly explain the operation thereof.

The weight, as will be seen, is entirely supported on the tracks runningacross the boat; but immediately above the tracks or beside them, as maybe more convenient, is a threaded shaft which passes through a flexiblethimble secured kto the weight. The Vsteam-engine or other motor isoperatively connected, as explained, tothe shaft, and it is entirelydependent on the feed as governed by the position of the link as towhich direction the shaft will rotate. As the shaft rotates in onedirection the weight will travel along the track, for as the thimble andshaft are correspondingly threaded the said thimble must assume adifferent position thereon as the shaft. continuesto rotate. In theevent of the boat careening, the plumb-rod, having a heavy weight at itslower end, remains stationary, or substantially so. As the plumb-rod andrigid arm connected thereto remain stationary during the motionof theboat, when the latter careens the link must assume another position, forthe said link is v connected, as explained, to the rigid arm 8.

The movement of the link governsthe admission of steam to the cylinder,as in the ordinary-steam-engines. The remaining part of the operation ofthe shaft is commonpractice. As the boat lists to one side theadmission-valve to the steam-engine will be open to drive the shaft inone direction, and

as the shaft continues to rotate in that particular direction the weightis made to travel up toward the higher side of the boat, and as the boatregains level the weight will assume the position'necessary to retainit'so.

There are many advantages to this invention, a few of which may bementioned here.

It is well known in shipping circles that a list f to boats is not onlydangerous, but interferes materially with their progress, as thenaturall lines of the vessel are completely lost in the differentpositions which she may take in the water. This refers particularly toboats driven by steam-power. In addition to these the danger incident tothe listing of a vessel is a serious menace to the lives of passengersand the safety of valuable cargoes, and it has been found inpossible inmany instances to properly distribute cargoes so as to trim the vessel.The usual practice of having movable weights or ballast for the purposeof trimming, particularly in river and lake boats, is mostunsatisfactory, as it is not only slow in operation, but frequently'governed by men of a very inferior order of intelligence, theconsequence of which is in river and lakeboats the danger to passengersis much increased. This invention, especially in the' automaticpart. ofit, obviates all the difficulties now experienced, and it is impossibleduring the operation of the device for the boat to assume any positionfor any length of time which is not trim.

It must be understood that in this invention, which I describe one formof motor used the device may be operated'by hand, electric, air, orother motor, according to the circumstances under which it is`installed, and,`further, it may be said that cables may be substitutedfor the threaded shaft and thimble, las it is comparatively simple toconstruct the device with cables operating from the proximity of thesides and winding onv suitable drums or pulleys,y though the particularmethod described is muchk preferable and more exact in its operation. v

What I claim as my invention is* 1. In trimming-weights for steamboatssaid vessel and journaled in suitable earings at the sides thereof inproximity to said trackway, means secured to the said weight forconnecting said shaft, and means for rotating said shaft in eitherdirection, as and for the purpose specified.

2. In trimming-weights for steamboats and the like, the combination withthe vessel, of a balancing-weight, having a thimble rsecured theretointernally threaded and flexibly arranged, a shaft correspondinglythreaded to said thimble and extending therethrough and iournaled insuitable bearings in the sides Vin the vessel in proximity to saidtrackway, and means for operating said shaft, as and for the purposespecified.

3. In trimming-weights for steamboats and the like, the combination withthe vessel, of a balancing-weight, having a thimble secured theretointernally threaded and flexibly arranged, a trackwaytherefor runningacross the vessel and suitably supported, a threaded shaft journaled inbearings at the sides of the vessel in proximity to said trackway, amotor having suitable connection with said shaft to drive the same ineither direction, and a pivoted plumb-rod governing,

IOO.

through the motion of the boat, the feed to threaded shaft journaled inbearings at the sides of the vessel in proximity to said track- Way, areciprocating steam-engine having a minion of Canada, this 13th day ofFebruary,

link-motion reversing-gear and a swinging 1906.

plumb-rod governing, through the motion of the boat, the position of thelink in said re- C. C. ROUILLARD.

l l 5 versing-gear, as and for thepurposespeoiii'ed. Witnesses:

Signed at Montreal, in the district of Mon- G. H. TRESIDDER, treal, inthe Province of Quebec, in the Do- I. DEUTSCH.

